Peripeteia
by Mordreds Girl
Summary: DISCONTINUED INDEFINITELY. Part of the Seasons-verse. Meaning: A sudden or unexpected reversal of circumstances; the point of no return. A lot of weird things have been happening in Stiles' life recently, but they're about to get weirder with the resurrection of Peter Hale. Eventual Sterek.
1. Chapter 1

Like it says in the description this is part of the Seasons-verse, and a companion to another story I'm currently posting called _Cicurate_. I highly recommend that you read the three chapters of that that are up before reading this, otherwise a few things might not make sense.

)))))))))

After what happened yesterday with Lydia, Stiles found himself worried. People didn't just suddenly know about werewolves, and it was killing him not knowing how she'd found out. So even though she probably didn't want to talk to him he went over to her house anyways and knocked on the door.

Faintly he could here music and it got louder when she opened the door. Only to become faint again when she slammed the door in his face. Not willing to give up he pounded on the door. "Come on Lydia, I just want to talk. I'm worried about you."

He didn't hide his relief when she opened the door once again. Though the look she gave him could probably curdle milk.

"What Stiles?"

He shuffled his feet because, really, there was no good way to ask someone how they'd found out about werewolves. He wondered if his hands twitching was going to become a nervous tic. "So uh, how are you?"

She gave him a flat look. "I'm fine Stiles. If all you're going to give me is banal conversation then leave."

OK, time to hopefully redeem himself. "I'm not doing that at all! This is us, not having a banal conversation."

"Just ask Stiles."

So he took a deep breath and just went for it, because seriously how bad could it be? "How did you find out about werewolves?"

"Peter told me"

"Peter, Peter who. . ." His mind races thinking of all the Peter's the both of them knew that could possible know about werewolves. And then his brain did a sort of short circuit because it was a list of one. "Do you mean Peter Hale?"

She sighed, "No Stiles, Peter Peter Pumpkin-eater. Yes Stiles! Peter Hale told me."

And this was not happening, this could not possibly be his life. "Lydia. . .Peter's dead."

She looked him straight in the eye. "Not anymore."

Oh, God. "People don't just come back from the dead!"

Without any warning whatsoever she grabbed his over shirt and pulled him in, slamming the door behind them. Her tone was as dry as the desert. "Peter is hardly 'people' Stiles, for one he's a werewolf and for two he's crazy."

He could feel parts of him start to twitch, and he tried to stop it because he knew exactly what they meant. He had to remind himself to take deep breaths; he could stop the attack before it started, he just needed to focus on what was going on. "OK, so who else knows?"

"Derek knows, he was there when it happened. And I think Dr. Deaton suspects, if he doesn't already know." She shrugged. "Probably the rest of his pack. Honestly I couldn't care less."

He probably looked like a fish, but her lack of investment was freaking him out. "He tried to kill you and you're not freaking out that he's back?"

He knew the rubbing temples tick well enough to understand that she was resisting the urge to probably strangle him. "Stiles. I am going to say this in small words so your ADHD brain can understand it alright? Peter has been living in my brain for the past five and a half weeks. So excuse me if I don't find the fact that he's out of it terrifying."

Even for him it was a lot to take in and it took him a while to get all the scattered pieces in a comprehensible order. It made him realize the past few weeks must have been hellish for her. He can't even begin to understand what that would have been like. He felt even worse now for all the brush-offs he'd given her. "I didn't know."

"Boo fucking hoo, Stiles. Did you ever wonder if it's because you've been to wrapped up in your own little world?"

Aaannnnd that revoked her sympathy card so fast he nearly got whiplash. Her apathy ignited the helpless anger that had been sparking inside him ever since the pool. "Yeah, well maybe trying to stop Jackson from killing anymore people or being killed himself is more important than your little haunting."

And she froze, eyes wide. "Jackson?"

Anger obliterated any pity he might have felt for her at that. "You remember Jackson right? Your ex-boyfriend? He tried to become a werewolf but went all vengeance lizard instead. Scott and I have been trying to make sure that Derek and his pack don't kill him! And we're pretty sure something's going to go down at the game tomorrow so we've been working our asses off trying to come up with a plan where everybody who's relatively good lives."

Before he knew it she was grabbing his ear like he was ten and his baba had caught him misbehaving again. "Tell me everything."

Even as angry as he was her 'I'm queen bitch, do what I say or I rip your fucking head off' tone had him telling her everything.

As he drove home his mind _rushedrushedrushed_ to make sense, to connect the dots. Peter was a headache inducing wild card that could go either way. He wrestled with the idea of telling Scott, but besides the fact that Peter was back he didn't know anything else. He should have asked Lydia more questions, though he didn't even know if she would have been able to answer them. Was Peter the Alpha now or was it still Derek? (He hoped to God it was Derek) Did Peter know about the Kanima and what was going on? (Stiles was sure that if he didn't when he came back he probably did now, mother pheasant plucker) What would Peter do when he found out about the pack, or Gerard?

His brain hurt from the question overload. But trying to save the lives of people he cared about mattered more than his own little pain.


	2. Chapter 2

For the first time in his life since his mother died he felt like the rest of the world had noticed him, like the world cared, like he mattered. He was high on adrenaline, endorphins, and emotions and he felt like he could do anything.

The field goes dark.

Hands grabbed him and started pulling him towards what he thought was the woods. He fought back as best he could, and he was pretty sure he'd gotten one of them with his cleats judging from the grunt. But there were far too many of them and in short order he found himself tied up with a bag over his head.

He gave a grunt himself as he was tossed into something, a car judging from the _clunk_ of the trunk closing. Cue hysterical giggle, _oh God_.

Stiles tried to count turns as the car left the school and went off towards where ever they were taking him, but apparently they planned the trip in a straight line, or at least that was the story Stiles would stick too, because no turns were made that day.

The trunk opened and rough hands yanked him out, pulling his hood/bag off in the process. His eyes darted around as two men dragged him forward. The warehouse district, probably somewhere near where the rave fiasco happened, and this was seriously his life where he identified locations by events and not actual landmarks.

Gerard stood by a truck delivery bay with a smile on his face. "Hello Stiles."

He struggled, even though it didn't do him much good; it made him feel better though. "You know Scott will be able to find me right? He'll be able to sniff me out in like two seconds flat."

Gerard's smile widened and got even creepier. "Maybe I want him to find you."

Stiles felt his heartbeat pick up, _thumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthu mp_. The bay door was open a little and a female voice Stiles didn't want to hear there filtered out: "But why me? I'm just a human."

_Oh God, Lydia!_ With the help of another hunter Gerard threw open the bay door, illuminating the scene for Stiles. Lydia tied to a chair looking confused and slightly panicked. Erica and Boyd, who'd apparently become Boromir's stunt double, hung up like slaughtered cows from the ceiling.

Gerard's voice broke through the rising tide of panic. "Because dear girl. If you go away there's nothing holding Jackson back." Though that just made the panic worse. _Lydia in a closed coffin, with a body too mangled to even try and make look human. . ._

"Stiles?" Her voice wavered, sending a lance of _ache_ through him.

Gerard's smile was so big Stiles thought it might split his face in two. "Let's send a message shall we?"

And the first inelegant punch crashed across his face.

The look on his father's face shattered his heart, and he said nothing when he was pulled into a hug. Then his father started talking about BOLOs and even with his shattered heart Stiles had to stop it. "Dad! _I'm fine_." He let himself cling, let himself be the comforted for once.

And his dad dropped it; Stiles didn't want the rush of relief that brought, but it came anyways.

All too soon his dad pulled away. "I've got to go, we're still looking for the Martin girl, you haven't seen her have you?"

_Wrists slightly torn from abrasive ropes. . ._Stiles shook his head. His dad put a hand on his shoulder. "You just, you do what you need to do alright? You did great out there, you were a hero, and I'm so proud you be your dad."

Shattered pieces turned to dust, _all the kings horses and all the kings men could put Stiles' heart back together again_. He watched he dad walk off, only speaking again when he'd left. "I'm not a hero."

He greeted the impotent rage that eventually came with welcome arms, because anything was better than lying around thinking about getting drunk and feeling sorry for himself.

Practically jumping off his bed he grabbed his keys from the desk and stormed out to his car. He was going to do something useful for once in his life dammit!

Finding the warehouse again had been easy, he'd just gone to where the rave and been and listened for the sounds of wolves.

When he got there he didn't go though the bay door, walking around the building to find another entrance instead. As he got closer the sounds of fighting seemed to drown out even his heartbeat. He froze for a moment when he finally laid eyes on everything.

Erica and Boyd were hanging limp from their hooks and Stiles had to push back the fear that they were dead. Issac was injured and Scott stood close to him trying to make sure Allison didn't get near. Mr. Argent looked frozen with indecision, Stiles could relate. And fighting the Kanima was Derek _and an Alpha_. Well there went that hope.

A feminine grunt drew him away from the fight and reminded him why he was there. Doing his best not to draw any attention to himself he crept over to Lydia. Pulling out a pocket knife he began cutting at her bonds. "Stiles. . .What?"

He looked up at her and grinned. "Couldn't let everyone else take all the glory could I?"

There was something in her face that he'd never seen before and didn't know if he wanted to see again. And then the final bond broke and she stood up. He watched her hesitate for a moment before she took a step towards the fighting. "Jackson?"

Stiles didn't know if it was eerie or hilarious the way the fight seemed to just. . ._stop_. All eyes turned to her, even Gerard's (who looked old and frail on the ground. Stiles didn't feel bad at all for the vicious glee that brought him). Lydia gingerly stepped through the various tableaus, seemingly unwilling to even touch anyone else. "Jackson."

The Kani- No Jackson finally reacted. His head tilted, as if unsure of what he was hearing. And when Lydia reached him she seemed to collapse onto him, encircling him tightly in her arms. "It's me Jackson. It's Lydia. I'm here." They knelt onto the floor and Stiles stared in amazement as Jackson began to shake.

A sharp crack echoed through the nearly empty warehouse and all attention left Lydia and Jackson.

And there was Peter standing over Gerard's body, uncaring and calm.

It was like a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. The nightmare was over.

Lydia broke the ensuing silence. "Don't worry Jackson, you're safe now." The look she gave everyone was quite pointed and pretty clearly said she'd kill anyone who tried to hurt Jackson.

Jackson actually looked like Jackson again, though more naked than Stiles would have liked, and still with the occasional patch of lizard skin. As if she couldn't help herself Lydia reached out and touched his cheek. Just like that Jackson awoke. "Lydia?"

Her laugh might have been shaky, but it rang with pure joy. "It's me. You're here, we're here. Everything's alright now."

Stiles couldn't see his face but Jackson's voice sounded as happy as her laugh. "Good." And with that he slumped against her.

As if a director had screamed 'action' everyone else started moving. Stiles began making his way towards Lydia while Derek and a nearly naked Peter (really for something so serious there was a bit too much nudity) went over to take down Erica and Boyd. Scott knelt next to Issac. While Mr. Argent swept Allison up in a hug, both clinging tightly to the other.

"So is he OK?" A question Stiles never thought he'd ask in relation to Jackson Whittemore.

She briskly checked his vitals and with her hand on his forehead gave a pretty little frown. "I think he's alright, but his body temperature feels a little on the cool side."

Like he'd been summoned Derek was there and cautiously took Jackson from Lydia's arms to lay him on the ground. He didn't seemed concerned at all by her proclamation. "It makes sense."

That brought out Lydia's math look. "You mean he's still that lizard thing?"

"Yes Lydia, he is." Stiles looked up to see a 'I know more than you do' look on Peter's face, smug bastard. "The memory of your love was only enough to break the hold, to make Jackson his own master. But he still has quite a ways to go before coming to terms with himself and his choices."

Which made complete and utter sense and yet also completely and utterly sucked.

Scott took the words right out of Stiles' mouth when he asked "so what happens now?"

Peter's smug look turned bad-ass action hero with extra glowing red eyes and teeth. "We grow strong as a pack. We prepare for whatever will come next. We survive, _together_."

Well it didn't make the top ten inspirational speeches, but Stiles could tell the older man was serious.

And without even being asked he gently guided Lydia up and escorted her to his car.

He took Lydia to hospital, claiming that he'd 'found' her in the woods. Their story was that she'd seen the other team drag him off for his beating and had followed, but she'd gotten lost.

His dad sent him home shortly after, and he barely managed a call to Scott to find out if everyone else was alright, before falling into bed and crashing.

)))))))

The next part will not be up next week, but the week after that.


	3. Chapter 3

The morning after brought with it the return of school and it felt strange to have people talking to him, congratulating him. Stiles wasn't sure if he liked popularity or not.

So he felt a bit grateful when Issac came up to him, even if the other guy held a giant bouquet of tulips. "Have you seen Erica or Boyd?"

Stiles shook his head. "Can't help you there. What's with the flowers?"

Issac looked sheepish. "Peter wanted me to give them to Lydia."

It took a moment for his brain to restart. "Wait, what?"

"He said they were an apology." The boy shrugged. "I decided to go with it and not ask any questions."

Which was a good strategy considering. Stiles grabbed the wolf's wrist as he started to walk off, Issac flinched. "Hey, are you alright? Scott said that Peter and Derek helped you, but I still gotta ask."

Issac smiled, and _wow_ it was like his whole face lit up. "I'm fine Stiles. Thanks for worrying though." Stiles let go and watched Issac walk off. Only to turn around a moment later and come back. "Before I forget again. Peter wanted you to know that he expects you at the next pack meeting."

Stiles gaped. "What?"

Issac held the flowers in front of him like a shield. "He said that even though you're human you're part of the pack." Aaaannnd that was Issac blushing. "Only with more words."

"Uh alright then."

This time Issac left for good.

))))

School continued on as normal; Harris still hated him with a fiery passion, despite basically get a new lease on life Jackson was still a douche, and Coach still didn't have any pity for him during practice (though at least he actually got to scrimmage). The only real difference was the number of people now sitting at his and Scott's lunch table. Even Allison sat with them, though she was more reserved and quiet than her usual self, which was understandable. (Jackson sat a few tables away next to Danny and a few other lacrosse guys)

The tone of lunch changed though when she walked over to their table with a large Macy's bag. For a moment she stared at them, clearly nervous. Her eyes closed and he watched her take a calming breath. "My dad and I are leaving tomorrow."

She must have told Scott ahead of time because he best friend did not jump up with a surprised 'what?' only reached out and gently brushed her wrist. The rest of the table did fall silent though. Everyone might not have forgiven her completely but she'd still been a part of the group. "My dad and I just…need to be with ourselves for a while. Figure some stuff out."

Stiles could see tears. "Grieve.

"Dad said we'll come back, but I don't know when. I'll write, or call, if I can. But…distance." She gave a tiny resolute nod. "I need some distance."

Allison didn't wait for a response just left and walked over to Lydia. (sitting alone)

))))

To top it all off, after practice him, Scott, and Issac had to head over to the Hale house for a pack meeting.

As they came into the clearing around the Hale house Stiles was surprised to see a large pile of lumber under some tarps (rain, rain and more rain happened to be the forecast for the weekend) and half the house torn down.

Peter sat on the ruined porch looking like his usual asshole self. Derek stood a ways off, close to the forest. If amscraying was necessary he'd definitely head that way. A minute or so later Boyd and Erica pulled into the clearing. Peter stood and smiled as the two climbed out of the car.

"Where's Jackson?"

And that seemed an odd question for Peter to ask. "Uhh, clearly not here."

Peter smiled. "Derek, why don't you and Boyd go get him please."

Stiles felt like he'd walked into the werewolf version of _Godfather_. Compounded by the fact that Derek looked like he really didn't want to go but had to do it anyways.

After the two of them had left Peter sat back down on the porch. There was a tension in the air that practically screamed 'awkward' and Stiles found himself shuffling his feet. Issac seemed to feel no such tension though because he just went up to the porch and laid down next to Peter. Erica gleefully pounced on him, almost completely covering the other wolf. It would have been kind of adorable if not for Peter.

The silence quickly started to get unbearable for Stiles, but he, for once in his life, was not going to start running his mouth off. No, it was Peter who finally broke the silence. "How are you all?"

And it was such a banal question that Stiles nearly burst out laughing. Laughter was soon sidelined as he watched Peter's hand brush Issac's jaw on the way to entangling itself in Erica's hair. Apparently the other two didn't feel the same compunctions as he and Scott because they began to idly chat about school as if nothing were wrong.

Stiles felt the urge to pull them off and take them far, far away. It wasn't their fault they didn't know what a monster Peter was, what he'd done. He glanced over to Scott and felt surprise when he saw the torn expression on his best friend's face. Stiles didn't call Scott out on it, not where everyone else could hear. But there was definitely going to be _a talk_ along the lines of reminding Scott who the bad guy was.

"And how's Lydia?" The way Peter asked made it sound like he didn't really care about the answer, but felt compelled to ask anyways. But Erica rolled her eyes and Issac gave an annoyed huff before answering. "Same as the last time." Which made Stiles realize that Peter had asked this question before.

Stiles crossed his arms. "Why do you care about Lydia?"

Peter looked him straight in the eye and Stiles quickly looked away because A) Peter's eyes were unnerving as fuck and B) Stiles didn't want to be mauled to death by a werewolf. "Can't I show a little investment in the lovely young lady who brought me back to life? None of the rest of you seem to, even if you do call her friend."

And oooo, that rankled.

))))

It had been Stiles' idea to start hanging around Lydia during lunch. (It had nothing at all to do with Peter's comments, nope not at all) Though the pack went above and beyond and was apparently seeking her out after school. Stiles didn't know whether to smack them all over the head, or encourage them.

He himself had taken to trying to sit next to her during class and just trying to have normal conversations with her. For the first few days she completely stonewalled him.

Eventually either he started breaking her down, or she decided to humor him. Because actual conversations were had. Even civil ones. Though Stiles was certain they wouldn't be jumping on the friendship train anytime soon.


End file.
